Automobile-signal.



@l Ik DAR/WON,

JLTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

APPLICM'M Hlm )UNE 28.1915.

Mmmm@ May 16, 1916.,

n as o i GEORGE A. DAMRON, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AUTo'MoBiLn-SIGNAL.

mesmo Application filed June 28, 1915. Serial No. 36,883.

.To all whom z'zf may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. DA MR0N, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles,

provide such a signal which may be substi tuted for an ordinary tail light, and serve all the purposes of a tail light.

A further object of the invention is to provide an illuminated automobile signal in which the light also serves to illuminate the license plate, making a separate light for this purpose unnecessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signalwhich can be manually set to indicate a change in the direction of the automobile, in combination with means for releasing this signal whenever this change in direction takes place.

A further object of the invention is to provide electric means by which the signal may be set, thus doing away with the necessity for complicated rods, chains, or wire systems for operating the signal.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only: Figure 1 is a view of the signal when used as a tail light as seen in place on the rear of an automo- 'f bile. Fig. 2 is a section on the planes .xL-.r2

of'Figs. 1, and 3. AFig. 3 is a section on the plane riha of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the signal and the release means therefor as applied to an automobile.

' Fig. 5 is a diagram of connections.

ln the form of my invention illustrated in the drawings. anA outer shellY 11 is provided. this shell having a downwardly extending apron l2 on which is secured a license plate 13. Setv in the shell 1l is a curved window 14 of clear glass, the shell below the vnember 1 4 being flared out to form a hood 15, having a refiecting surface 1G on the lower side thereof. The shell 11 is provided with a fixed end 17, and a removable end 18, which is secured in the shell 1l by means of screws 19. Secured in the end Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 116, i916.

18 is a tube'20 which extends through tothe inside of the slgnal, carrying. an incandescent lamp 21, suitable wires 22 being carried through the tube 20 to the lamp 21. Piv- 60 oted on the tube 20 and on a pivot pin 23 is a rotor This rotor consists of metal ends 26 and 27 secured together by suitable metal members 28. A plurality of colored glass members 29, and clearglass members 30, are

secured between the metal members 28 as shown 1n F 1g. 2; An additional member 31 1s also secured to the members 28, a space being left betweenthe member 31 and the member 27 for a spiral spring 32, this spring 70 being secured at 33 to the tube 20, and at 34 to one of the members 28. This spring is so placed that it tends to move the rotor in thedirection of the arrow shown in Fig.

2. Secured on the end 2G is a sheave 38, 75

this sheave having a flexible cord or wire 37 secured thereon. The through an opening in the shell 11 and fromf thence downwardly over an idler pulley 38 carried on the apron l2. cured to a magnetic core 39, this core sliding freely in a tube 40, carried in heads 41 and 42 of an operating magnet 43. The operating magnet 43 has three coils 44, 45, and 4G. magnetic member 47, this member having notches 48, 49, and 50 cut therein. Secured on the side of the head 42 is a bracket 51 in which a latch pin 52 slides, this latch pin having a collar 53 formed thereon, a com- 90 pression spring 54 surrounding the pin 52, pressing on the collar 53 so that the latch pin 52 is forced inwardly in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2. The end of the latch pin is so located that it presses against the non-magnetic member 47 engaging the notches 48, 49, and 50, as will hereafter be ,explained Secured man opening 56 in the end of the latch pin 52 is a flexible cord 57 which ex- 100 tends forwardly passing over an idler pulley 58 and being secured to the steering lever 59, this lever being moved in the direction of the arrows GO by a steering wheel 61 through a worm gear in the manner now 105 wire 37 passes The wire 37 is se- 80 Secured in the core 39 is a non# 85 This switch may be located on a battery 68, the other terminal of the bat; tery being connected through a wire 69 with one end of the coils t1, l5, and 46, the coils 4l, 45, and 46 being connected in parallel the wires 70, 71, and 72, connecting the ends or these coils with the contacts (3l, G5, and GG, as shown in Fig. The transparent members 29 are provided with suitable markings such as arrows, or words, Right, Left, and Stop. Whenever the operator of the vehicle wishes to give notice to a following vehicle of his intention to turn or stop he actuates the arm G3, making contacts suitably with the contacts Gl, 65, and 66. When the connection is made with the contact (3l, the coil 4G is energized, the core 39 being pulled into the coil +3 so that the latch pin 52 drops into and engages the notch on the member 47. This movement of the core 39 is transmitted through the wire 37 to the sheave 3G, the rotor 25 being turned through approximately 900. In its off position the rotor 25 presents a practically blank red glass member :Z9 behind the glass window 1l, so that the light 21 simply shows as a red light through the glass window 1l, the indication being that of an ordinary tail light, at the same time light shines through one of the plain glass members 3() onto the reflecting surface 16V formed on the hood l5, this light being reflected downwardly onto the license plate 13, illuminating same.

Whenvthe rotor 25 is turned 90 from its original position a new member 29 is swung around behind the member l-l, this new member 29 may have the legend Right, Left, or Stop, marked thereon. In practice one ot the members 29 consistsof a plain red glass, the other three members consisting of plain red glass, with a trans parent legend, Stop, Right, Left, marked thereon.

lVhenever it is desired to indicate other signals the lever 63 is moved around to the contact 65 on the contact (56, thus pulling the core 39 farther into the coil 43, the core 39 being held in each of these positions by the latch pin 52, engaging one of the notches 48, 49, or 50, in the member 47. It is thus possible for the operator of the vehicle by suitable actuation of the switch 52 to move the rotor 25 so that a suitable illuminated legend appears behind the glass number 14, a plurality of transparent members 30 being provided so that the license platevl is illuminated in any lposition of the rotor. As soon as the operator of the vehicle. has

caused this indication he throws theswitch 62 to the off position, the signal then remalmng at its proper setting. The signal then remains at this setting until the steering wheel G1 is turned. The turning of the steering wheel 61 moves the `lever 59 from the central position shown in Fig. 4: in the direction of one of the arrows 60. -The pulley 58 being considerably below the axis of the level-59, any movement of the lever 59 tends to pull on the wire 57, thus pulling the latch pin 52 out of engagement with the particular notches 48, 49, or 50, with which it is engaged, and allowing the core 39 to he pulled back to its initial position by the spring 32. The signal therefore stays in its indicating position until the vehicle is turned, it being then released and returned to its initial positon.

I claim as my invention:

1. An automobile signal comprising a rotor having a plurality of indicatingmarkings thereon, electrical means for turning this rotor to display one of the markings, latch means for restraining the rotor in the set position, a flexible connection secured to said latch means, and means by which the turning of the steering mechanism of the automobile pulls on said connection and releases said latch means.

2. An automobile signal comprising a rotor having a plurality of indicating markings thereon, electrical means for turning this rotor to display one of the markings, latch means for restraining the rotor in the set position, a flexible connection secured to said latch means, and means by which the turning of the steering mechanism of the automobile in either direction pulls on said connection and releases said latch mea-ns.

3. An automobile signal comprising a rotor having a plurality of indicating markings thereon, a solenoid having a plurality of windings, a core oi' magnetic material adapted to be pulled into the solenoid, means for connecting said core to said rotor, latch means for restraining said core so that said rotor displays one of said indicating markings, a flexible connection secured to said latch means, and means by which the turning of the steering mechanism of the automobile in either direction pulls on said connection and releases said latch means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 21 day of June, 1915.

GEORGE A. DAMRON. 

